


Aqua Sulis

by Saltedkiss



Series: Saltedkiss' Camelove 2021 Contributions [4]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Flashbacks, Gen, Leon gets a spa day, Modern Era, Reminiscing, knights of the round table - Freeform, self-care
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 21:46:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29357442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saltedkiss/pseuds/Saltedkiss
Summary: The immortal Sir Leon enjoys a well-earned spa day and reminisces about the first time he and the Knights found themselves in the city of Bath, over fifteen centuries ago.
Relationships: Knights of the Round Table & Merlin (Merlin), Leon & Merlin (Merlin)
Series: Saltedkiss' Camelove 2021 Contributions [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2150835
Comments: 6
Kudos: 23
Collections: Camelove 2021





	Aqua Sulis

**Author's Note:**

  * For [litbeyondmeasure](https://archiveofourown.org/users/litbeyondmeasure/gifts).



> This work was inspired by this [Tumblr post](https://camelove2021.tumblr.com/post/641871818594156545/all-im-saying-is-thermae-bath-spa-x). I dedicate it to the wonderful Anon who made me research - and fall in love with - Thermae Bath Spa, in Hot Bath Streeth, Bath UK. 
> 
> One day, I'm going there for a spa day of my own. Until then, I'll just have to read fanfiction and experience my hot tub dreams through the eyes of my favourite fictional characters, I guess!

Leon let out a contented sigh. 

His day had started with the Serenity Candle Massage he'd booked months ago. The fifty minutes he'd spent in the extremely capable hands of his masseuse, Farah, had been the perfect way to finally get those tight knots out of his shoulders. 

After his massage, he’d spent the rest of the morning in the steam baths and saunas. Next up were a mud bath and some long-overdue Essential Oils Aromatherapy. Lavender. Always lavender.

Now, he found himself on top of the building that housed the Thermae Bath Spa, where he lounged in the hot tub-section of the rooftop pool looking out over the city of Bath. Leon enjoyed watching from high above as people went and lived their lives. They looked so small from the top of the building, so wrapped up in their own everyday business that they forgot to look at the grand scheme of things. He felt sorry for them. Sorry for the way they tended to focus on details and reaching goals and numbers. Sorry for how they failed to stop focusing on all the things they wanted rather than appreciating what they _had_.

Granted, it had taken Leon a couple of centuries to learn to see the world that way for himself, of course. But that’s what immortality did to you. Made you take a step back and appreciate what was happening around you, since you had the luxury of not having to fret about living life to the fullest, of making every single moment count. 

That, Leon had figured out, was actually the key to appreciating all that life had to offer. Not worrying about making it worthwhile had taken the edge off, had actually given his life more meaning. And wasn’t that a splendid little slice of irony right there. 

One of the things Leon had learned, was to make time for the simpler things in life. A good meal, a long walk on a winter's day. Music. Laughter. And some quality time at places like these, where self-care materialized to become thick towels and friendly smiles. Hot ginger tea and glowing skin. Peace. Quiet. Bubble baths. Leon let himself sink a little deeper into the hot tub. The pool’s warm water smelled of chlorine. Leon was quite sure it had been a long time since the waters he was now in had even seen the spring the Spa’s flyers and website spoke of. 

The King’s Spring, buried deep in the Valley of the River Avon. 

Leon smiled and leaned back. He felt his muscles relax as the hot tub's jets started another massage sequence. His surroundings were blurred by the steam raising from the warm water. From where he sat, Leon could see the hills in the distance. If he squinted a little, he could pretend the apartment buildings and towers before him were just silhouettes of oddly shaped trees. 

Just as they’d once been. A long, long time ago, before these lands had been covered with concrete buildings and motorways. Before forests and wildlife had made way for modern housing and more people than he could have possibly imagined. Things had been simpler, back then. Definitely not easier, but simpler nonetheless. 

Leon closed his eyes and thought back to the first time he’d come to Bath. 

The city hadn’t been much more than an over-sized town back then, right after the Saxons had conquered it. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the city named Aqua Sulis had become the town of Hat Bathu. It hadn't stayed that way for very long. When the Saxons arrived, they hadn’t hesitated to undo most of the Romans’ hard work, bringing ruin to what had once been a very impressive infrastructure, and had started to call the town by its new name: Baðan.

That’s what it had been called the day their campaign had led them here. 

Baðan.

\- 

It had been the seven of them. 

Leon rode right behind Arthur and Merlin when they reached the top of the hill overlooking the town. They were followed by Gwaine and Lancelot who felt the need to entertain the group with their endless stream of horrible jokes and teasing, most of it directed at Elyan and Percival who rode behind them and formed the rear guard of their little unit They hadn’t meant to ride into Saxon territory, but night was fast approaching and they didn’t have much of a choice but make camp and spend the night, so they could leave again at first light. 

Arthur and Merlin were preoccupied with figuring out who was to blame for the fact that they’d found themselves lost in Saxon territories. Since they were too busy bickering like two fishmongers fighting over the best spot at the market, it was up to Elyan and Leon to find a decent place to set up camp. 

Elyan was the one to find the spring, excited about the hot steam rising from the water. They got off their horses, grateful for the opportunity to stretch their legs after a long day in the saddle. Elyan hadn't even finished his story about how he’d swam in pools hot as a demon’s breath, when Gwaine raced past him and jumped into the spring with a triumphant cheer that was far too loud given their proximity to the Saxon settlement. 

Lancelot followed soon after. 

Elyan and Leon spent some time wagering on whether or not Gwaine and Lancelot would end up drowning one another before or after they’d manage to attract Saxon attention with all their splashing about. Eventually, they gave in and joined their fellow knights. Percival was the last to join. He’d gone for one last sweep of the woods before finally taking his armour off as well. He placed his sword and dagger on a rock by the pool and lowered his massive body into the water. He never moved from that spot, his weapons always within reach. 

The steam rising from the spring had made it hard to see the other knights, and had created a sense of intimacy that was bound to bring out the kind of stories they usually didn’t share. They were brothers in every sense of the word that mattered, but still managed to find new stories to tell each other. There, in the hot springs near Baðan, they shared stories of their childhoods. 

The others made Leon retell the story of how he’d once teamed up with Morgana, when they were children, and had released seven lambs in Arthur’s chambers. The other Knights’ laughter echoed over the spring when he described the fury in the young prince’s eyes. They'd heard the story at least three times, but seemed to enjoy it just as much as they had when Leon had entertained them with it for the very first time.

“Oh, so that’s how those got in there,” came from behind Leon. “I should have known you had something to do with it. My chambers reeked of sheep dung for weeks.”

Arthur grinned at Leon while he and Merlin neared the spring. The knights all pretended they didn’t notice Merlin’s flushed cheeks or the fact that Arthur now wore his tunic inside out.

“Indeed, Sire,” Leon said with a laugh. 

Merlin took his clothes off and joined the others in the pool after a snarky comment in Arthur’s direction. The sloshing of the spring water around Merlin's thin body drowned out his exact words, but judging by Arthur’s reaction, this was definitely another quip about Arthur’s weight. Arthur hurried after Merlin and promised to make him pay. They all rooted for Merlin, of course, and none of the knights bothered to hide their disappointment when Arthur made quick work of overpowering his manservant. Leon didn’t say anything, but thought Merlin had let him win a tad too easily. 

They’d stayed in the springs for hours and hours, that night, their laughter rising up with the steam into the starry night. 

When morning came, none of them had had much sleep, but they all felt more rested than they had in weeks. 

“We should come back here,” Elyan had said as they’d packed up their bedrolls. 

Lancelot had agreed. 

They never came back. 

\- 

“Mind if I join you?” A low voice woke Leon from his daydream. He opened his eyes and looked at the familiar face of his oldest friend in his ridiculous neon yellow swimming trunks. 

“How was your hot stone massage, Merlin?” Leon asked. 

“Heaven,” Merlin grinned while he joined Leon in the rooftop pool. “I should let you talk me into doing this kind of thing more often.”

“You really should.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for being here and taking your time to read my work. It means a lot! English isn't my first language and I don't have a beta, so feel free to let me know if there's anything that needs fixing!


End file.
